Help - lateral thinking questions at interview

Birker2020

Birker2020

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I have an interview on Wednesday and one of the questions is about the people on the dingy and it capsizes - who would you save. One person is a doctor and another is a new born baby (not sure who the other people are). If you save the doctor would that be better than saving the babies? I hate these sort of questions. Does anyone know the full question and the best answer to give? I suppose if you say doctor you are using your head and if you say baby you are using your heart. HELP!!!
 
Why do you have to save anyone - you need to know who can swim and who can life save - then ask them to save the babies, allocate tasks appropriate to their skills. Its never as simple as save one not the other.

Put the full question up I am sure someone here can help you

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I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong answer to a question like this. They want to see what kind of analytical skills you have and how you apply them. I think I would explain that a situation like this would require a moral judgement call and that one individual would react in a different way from another, based on past experience etc (I would personally save the doctor, but then my OH is a doctor, so that would probably explain why).
Maybe look at the processes by which you would come to whatever conclusion that you would - eg. who has the most to offer society, the fact that the baby hasn't started on its life journey yet while the doctor is midway through life etc.
Also, they are looking at whether the 'end justifies the means' ie - once you've decided how to make a decision, will you go back on that if the outcome is not what you wanted in the end - would you then change your criteria for making the decision in the first place etc.
I hate these sort of questions and don't think they really give a very good idea of who you are as a person, or what you offer the organisation, but best of luck anyway.
 
I think as long as you back up your answer with a well thought-out justification, it won't matter which one you pick. They just want to know how you think things through really, I don't think they'd hire or fire you based on who you chose.
 
i would agree about it being about your justification skills- i.e. that there is a thought behind your answer. i would agree with the above- ask who can swim and can other people help support those who can't swim. also is there any equipment you can use?! we need more details!!
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There is no right or wrong answer to the question. Charmaine 18 expresses it very well. They just want to know WHY you think the way you do. It may be that they are looking for a particular type of person to fit into their team. It is unusual to do this exercise on your own as it is normally a group exercise to encourage discussion and debate.

Is it this one?

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:ERu...=clnk&gl=uk
 
The example you gave does not sound like a lateral thinking exercise, it sounds like an ethical dilema. A lateral thinking exercise usually requires you to find an alternate answer (such as you and the other survivors form a circle, allowing for calm water in the centre, and the doctor and the baby can both be supported on your feet until help arrives) where ethical dilemas require you to make a choice. How you answer an ethical dilema isn't about right or wrong, it is about making a choice, and sticking with it. The worst thing you can do is make one choice and then let others convince you otherwise! Make the call, stick with it, justify it, but don't flip flop!
 
Agree with all this, but I would also be tempted to just think up one reason each why you didn't choose the others. Just that interviewers rather like to see how you respond to a question on the fly. Good luck
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